Hello,

I've been out of the loop for the past couple of months (a lot happened).

Here's my situation:

Accepted to 1

WL 2

Rejected about 4 - 5 other places

I have begun studying for the Sept 2019 LSAT (possibly July if progress is faster).

My plan is to use the LSAT trainer first, Powerscore Bibles, and also 7sage for drills and exams.

I really hope pushing a year will make a difference (I honestly will not have any updates on my resume between that time).

My real question is,

Can I re-apply to the schools I was rejected from with the SAME LOR and PS/opt essays?

Will that look poor on my part if the only difference in my application is my LSAT score between a whole year?

Any support and advice is always welcomed, and also looking to hear from any re-applicants!

Back to studying I go...

so I graduated in dec of 2017 and it has be tough for me because of the job market. I just feel as if i must be unhirable or something. My plan was to get a “real” job and then go to law school but that has not worked out. Ive been working at the same job involving children and a few volunteer opportunities but thats it. I really just want to create a strong application but i feel like i have nothing to offer what should i do? Ive applied to nearly 100 jobs im seriously dishearted there.

Hi, I got a 168 on the Jan LSAT and I'm looking to break 170 for the March LSAT. I've scored in the 170s before, but I'm looking to consistently be scoring in the low 170s range. The problem is, I'm practically out of recent practice tests. I've done almost all of the 60s 70s and 80s. Does any one have any tips for how to start consistently scoring in the 170s, and what I should do re: practice tests?

What's the best location to take my LSAT?

Fordham

New York Law School

Bergen County Community College

Seton Hall

Any help would be appreciated!

are schools required to contact you / update your application to "denied" if you're not accepted? a few of my applications have been "in review" for over a month now and i wasn't sure if i will still be contacted if i'm not accepted.

Hi all! I submitted my apps late in the cycle (late Jan. and early Feb.) since I was waiting for my January LSAT score. I'm thinking of using the next few Fridays to visit schools since I don't expect to hear back for some time (just went complete) and my LSAT score could've been a few points higher... Before I book transport, do you think it's best to wait to hear back or that it's not worth the money/PTO days? I was thinking of sitting in on classes or speaking to admissions and writing LOCI's to strengthen my applications. Specifically talking about schools in DC (& UVA) and in Boston. Appreciate the input!!

I'm currently working as a software engineer( more like an algorithm engineer), and I decided to apply next cycle. I got a decent LSAT score on Jan test, so I didn't worry about test preparation. The thing is my current job is nothing related to practicing law. I want to be a patent lawyer after law school, so I searched online about patent agent job( and also patent assistant). However, the salary for inexperienced patent agent is only one third of my current salary. TBH, I didn't care about money. I had enough saving. How important is work experience related to job hunting after law school? Is it stupid to give up my current job for less lucrative position?

Thanks for your advice.

For January LSAT, I marked up skipped questions with a small “s” next to the question number, and circled /triangled the question numbers I wanted to come back later on the scantron sheet. I didn’t erase those marks. Would that have effected how the machine read my score?

Has anyone ever done the same thing like me on a disclosed test?

Hi all,

Do anyone know if there's a way to print ONLY the logic games from tests 1-35 in one go? I have access to all of the tests, but I don't want to print all of them. And I want to avoid having to go to each one and printing only LG manually. Thanks in advance!

#Help

Cold diagnostic- 143

January score- 159

Still debating if I should retake in March because I scored more or less around my PT score, and I don’t know if I can improve in a month’s time. Can give only the March one, none else. Skeptic in as to scoring lower the second time around. I don’t have a great resume or softs, so I was wondering if I should use this time between now and June to work on that instead. I’m an international student and my grad score is in %age. I topped in my college, though. Advice appreciated.

TIA

So, working through the CC I've found that flaw questions seem to be quite difficult for me compared to other question types. I think that this could be due to me simply not having seen enough of these questions (I've worked through about 15 so far) to get used to the language that the LSAC hides the flaw in. So far I have been able to pinpoint the flaw in most of the stimuli but the AC trip me up because of how they are worded.

Did you guys get better at flaws just by seeing and doing more of them? I feel like exposure to hundreds of these may jsut be the best way to see all the patterns and traps. Or were there any specific ways that you guys approached these questions?

Hi all,

Just wanted to tell you all thank you for the support. After starting at a 151 as a diagnostic, I hit a 166 on my third take in January. Despite it being several points below my last five tests average, I have decided to pull the trigger and complete my cycle after being admitted to my dream school. I started this journey a little over a year ago (see my last diatribe which I posted about a month ago) and, while exhausted, every minute I put into this test was worth it. I hope everyones' cycles this year and the forthcoming years are filled with acceptances and scholarships, and regardless of whether or not you end up practicing law, you will each make an impact in your communities and relationships. Bon voyage.

Yours,

Juan

Sorry if this has been asked, but is there a certain way to do this? Particular LR questions from random PT's/Problem sets that I have gotten wrong that I want to go back and do over again. Thanks in advance

Looking for some advice and general thoughts from others who may be considering a retake. I just took the LSAT for the 2nd time in January and scored a 168. This was a 4 point improvement from my first try in September and I am fairly happy with it but I really wanted to break the 170 mark especially since my PT average was right around that so I know I can do it. I currently work full time and have one year left in a 2 year rotational analyst program with a bank so I plan on applying early next cycle. Since I have all this time I feel like I should keep grinding and give it a 3rd go for the 170 in the summer. However, I am worried about doing worse. I know law schools only need to report the highest score but I still feel like regressing on a 3rd attempt would look bad. I have also burned through most recent PTs and am not exactly sure how to go forward.

I'm at work, so I can't write everything I want to express. But I got my dream score!

I truly don't think it would have been possible without the amazing community and J.Y. for all the love and support along the way.

Trust the process. Do the CC. Fool proof. PT. Blind Review. Repeat as necessary.

Most importantly, keep faith. (3(/p)

https://media.giphy.com/media/jIXcTEmU5RCpO/giphy.gif

I got my LSAT score today, and writing another thank you post! 7Sage really works if you combine it with hard work and dedication.

I haven't participated in the discussion forums much but I have read a lot of your posts. During my studies what kept me going was hearing people's struggles and success stories. Today I'm sharing mine. The LSAT didn't come naturally to me. My first diagnostic four years ago was somewhere in the low 150's. I studied for 4 months and gave up, deciding that I would pursue a career in Accounting instead. While my chosen profession gave me lots of room to grow and provided a comfortable salary, I always had this feeling that I wasn't satisfied and something was missing. I felt like I had given up on my dream.

When I turned 27, I asked myself if I would be happy being an accountant until I retired; the answer was a resounding "NO". So I made a promise to myself that that year I would take the LSAT. I gave myself a year to study thinking I'll have lots of time. In reality, it took more than a year to do this while holding a full-time job that can at times be demanding. The journey was also not as linear as I thought. There were many times where I thought I had good grasp of the test only to have another weak area come out of the woodwork.

For those of you wondering what my process was after the CC, I fool-proofed logic games using Pacifico's method on PTs 1-35 then started doing timed PTs once a week and blind-reviewing. This only got me so far because my issue was timing - I had difficulty getting to all of the questions in 35 minutes, especially for LG and LR. So I focused on honing my skills on these two sections by developing habits that I know would help me get through the questions faster. For LG, I split the gameboard whenever possible. Even if I didn't have all the worlds figured out, being able to focus on just one or two sub gameboards helped immensely. I also did "if" questions first and left MBT/MBF/CBT questions to the end. There are also situations where you just need to crunch out a world fast and it's better to just do it rather than stare at the question for a minute trying to find an "easy way out". For LR, I learned to recognize when to skip questions. This sounds way simpler than it actually is. I had to do over 10 PTs before I had a good sense when a question was just taking too long and it was better to skip. I also drilled specific types of questions that constantly tripped me up and wrote detailed responses to the logic behind the right answer and the logic behind why the wrong answers were wrong.

By November 2018 I felt like I was ready. I was PT'ing in the 165-168 range. When I took the November exam it felt great, everything went smoothly and I thought it was a pretty easy test. So when I got a 164 I was devastated. I felt like I had been deceived because the test felt so easy. I reviewed my responses and realized I got a lot of easy questions wrong. I'm not sure if it was nerves or if I was just careless. For the next two months I kept on doing timed sections and fine-tuning those test-taking habits.

When I sat for the January 2019 test, it felt worse than November. Despite all my efforts I felt really rushed and one experimental RC (which I thought was real) really crushed me. I ended up not finishing the LG section and one LR section, blindly guessing on three questions. I was ready to cancel my score because I was sure I did worse but I kept reminding myself that the admissions committee only looks at your highest score. So even if I did do worse, I still had a 164. I got the email this morning on my way to work and I had to resist immediately opening it until I got to my office. I was shocked to see my score of 169! Out of the 27 PT's I took in the past year I only scored above 168 on four of them. And considering I missed three questions, I was not expecting this.

I credit my improvement on a few factors. The long study period definitely helped. As others have mentioned, this test is like a marathon. You cannot cram for it. I found doing one PT a week and reviewing for 1-2 hours every day helped solidify the logic to a point where I don't need to think about it much. Practice is key, especially with logic games. Do as many as you can as often and consistently as possible. I found even taking a one or two week break significantly affected my performance. Reading comprehension was always my strongest section so I didn't focus too much on this as I started off getting on average 3-4 questions wrong.

Lastly, my advice is to have faith. The path to progress is not always linear and that's okay. Find what works for you and makes you improve. I know how devastating it can be to study so much and work so hard only to get the same score or do worse than before, but each wrong answer is a chance for you to do better. If you change your outlook and frame of mind it can pay dividends.

I wish the best of luck to all future LSAT students and prospective lawyers. I'll be (hopefully) heading to my top-choice law school in Canada this September and want to thank 7Sage and this community for being supportive throughout this whole process. Even though I studied alone, it never really felt that way because of all of you. Thank you.

Hey everyone,

It's finally setting in that I am not dreaming and did get a score I'm satisfied with. I'd like to begin by thanking the people who had a HUGE impact on my studies, whether it was emotional support or helping with the fundamentals. @"paulmv.benthem" @btownsquee @BinghamtonDave @akistotle @"Cant Get Right" @NotMyName @AshleighK @"Leah M B" @twssmith @Bamboosprout [everyone in the September and November study groups] and however the heck the heck you tag Mr. Yoda himself, JY.

http://68.media.tumblr.com/29cba52aebacdeec51a093b91d5794a5/tumblr_osmi66dZmo1s2wio8o1_540.gif

I know people generally want details during these posts, so here's the general gist of it:

I started with a diagnostic in the 140s and tried the trainer and power score. After a slight jump into the low mid 150s, I decided to give the guy with the helpful LG videos a try. I was stuck between choosing 7sage and another prep course but what sealed the deal for me was how 7sage highlights those who make a jump of more than 10 points from their diagnostic (given enough time and effort). Whereas, I've seen other courses discuss that an increase of 10 points or more is not too likely as if this test is an indication of your real potential - it's not.

I'll keep this as short as I can but the things that helped me the most were: one, taking a long time with the core curriculum. I know there's this sense that it should take three months to go through CC, but honestly, I think I spent upwards of 3 months on just LR alone because that was always my biggest struggle. Your timeline is your own; there's no need to feel ashamed about how long it takes you to climb up the mountain. Don't compare with others because all you see are the positives and not the negatives. I BR-ed each LR question while going through the curriculum, started foolproofing the games in the curriculum. I started this close to testing day, but I think going back to PT1 and doing RC untimed was a huge help. That's something I wish I would've done earlier.

Second, use this community. Nothing solidifies your understanding of concepts like being able to explain to others! Not just helping them by answering, but if your reasoning can help others the next time they come across that concept, it'll enrich your (and their) understanding of the material. Asking for help is also super important. I think many people feel ashamed that they are not able to figure these things out themselves, but honestly, the majority of the community here has been helped by at least one person. There's no real sense of competitiveness, just genuine happiness for others. The best way to learn to accomplish these things is by joining a study group or tutoring. Third, don't try to force yourself to stick to a timeline but accomplish what you can. I've always lived in some fantasy world where I think I can productively achieve a million things every day instead of the two or three I can. It's okay to feel like you're falling behind, but try to give yourself breaks. I was awful at this and had to be forced to take breaks by people. Feeling guilty over not studying won't help you accomplish anything, especially with your progress. If I had been better at taking breaks, my journey probably would've ended with the September LSAT.

Fourth, and finally, don't take the test officially until you are ready. I took it twice when I was ready, and the first time, in November, I underperformed 7 points below my average. Exhaustion and test day nerves were a part of it, and it sucks having that number be recorded. Never-mind I lied, this is the last bit: record your PT's and timed takes. Watch the footage and record the data on a spreadsheet. It's painful and mind-numbing, and it forces you to confront all your bad habits. Make detailed notes, so you never have to watch that footage again! Analyzing my mistakes and actively keeping track of what not to do during timed conditions helped me jump from high 150s to 160s.

I am not going to be taking again,

https://media.giphy.com/media/emyikqtBVdlAI/giphy.gif

But I will still be around to help others out :)

You can message me for more specifics.

Hello,

I was wondering if "probably not" means the same thing as "unlikely".

Thank you!

Hi friends.

I was pretty surprised by my score yesterday. I scored somewhere between 3 and 5 points lower than I was expecting to score, very close to my first score despite beating the low 160s plateau in my recent practice tests.

I've been thinking through what could have possibly happened--I felt extremely good about LG, and I felt about normal with the rest, even with one slightly easier-than-normal LR section.

I remembered that when I logged onto the forums afterwards, I heard people talking about one real LR section with 26 questions. I didn't remember 26; I remembered 25. I figured I just misremembered. But I know I finished every section, and I'm wondering now if maybe that was an indication that I bubbled the last few ACs on the wrong lines. It almost perfectly explains the scoring discrepancy between what I expected and what I got. I was typically falling around -3 or -4 on each LR section and -6 on RC, with LG at -0 to -2 depending mostly on whether I finished. I finished LG on January's test, so a -14 or -13 seemed like a reasonable expectation. Misbubbling 22-26, for instance--which is around where I remember skipping a question--would get me from -13/-14 raw to around -18/-19 raw, which is exactly the difference between what I expected and what I got.

Is this something a handscorer would check for? Would they be willing/able to discern the difference and credit me the incorrect bubbles? Or am I screwed? Want to know before I spend the extra $100. Anyone have insight to share?

What should you do with questions that you didn’t circle for blind review and got wrong? I have noticed a pattern where I would get the questions I circled for blind review correctly, but miss anywhere between 2-5 of the questions I didn’t circle. I know this is a result of confidence error. But how do you fix it?

I am embarrassed to say I found a present/past tense error when I was uploading a document to a law school app. I had already submitted that doc on another application. Is this really bad? I am over the 75th percentile for GPA and just under the 50th for LSAT by one point. I am really nervous because this was my dream school. Anything helps. I feel so stupid

Hello all! I really could use some advice.

I've registered/canceled 3 LSAT exams (basically the day before each of em) because I was not ready and was not hitting my goal of 160 or higher. I'm trying to be realistic here. My first exam in June 17' was a 137 (8%) and I can't keep pushing this out longer. The purpose of this post is not me asking whether I should or should not take March because I'm 100% committed to March and want June to be my second chance. I've hit a point where I'm tired of studying this exam (it's been basically 2 years) and it's tiring. Yes, I've taken breaks (periods of couple days, to a month) and no I'm not burnout because I'm feeling close to the finish line and it's definitely motivating, but I'm also feeling discouraged cause my score isn't really moving.

Although the March exam is around the corner, I believe that I can make slight differences if I change my approach & that's where I'm hoping someone can recommend what I should do or a method that works for them...

I started with PT 36 and now I'm on 51. The highest score I've hit was 157 on PT 46 and 156 on PT 38, 44, and 48. Within those PT's I've scored between the 153-155 fluctuating. I'm on PT 51 now and scored a 155, PT 50 I also scored 155.

Here is the breakdown on PT 50 (155) which I did last week:

Section 1 RC 15/28

Section 2 LR 13/25

Section 3 LG 21/22

Section 4 LR 19/25

And here is the breakdown on PT 51 which is my most recent timed exam:

Section 1 LR 14/25

Section 2 RC 16/28

Section 3 LR 15/25

Section 4 LG 21/22

I know it will be incredibly hard to hit a 160 by March 30 but I feel that I'm capable for the following reasons: I've realized a feeling I get where on the first section, whether it is LR or RC, I'm a bit rusty. I can't fully comprehend sentences and I find it overall more difficult than a LR or RC section near the end. I've been consistently getting -1 or -2 max on LG and I'm aiming to get -0 cause I know that'll help my score a bit, but the LR/RC is really hindering my score. I feel I've hit a plateau because no matter how many drills or how extensive I am during BR, it seems to repeat in the mid 150's. I don't know what to do anymore.

Does anyone recommend I change/do anything specific before taking another PT next week? I was thinking of doing an LR section prior to a timed PT as a warm-up but I'm afraid I might burnout cause after taking a 4 section exam, I'm super exhausted. Please, any advice is appreciated. Thank you!

So I just got back my January score and I am feeling very defeated and dissapointed. I’m not giving up though. I am trying to decide if I should sign up for June of July. I know July gives you your score instantly I am just worried about the digital tests I know they give you scratch paper for LG. Will they be giving scratch paper for LR? I know it is highly based on logic so I like writing next to the statements. That is just my one worry.

This is my second time taking the test, after I completely bombed my first with a 155. In my last 3 PTs I had a 163, a 164, and a 166, respectively. I know I can do better and am unsure as to whether I should postpone to next cycle. To add more to my dilemma, I have a poor undergrad gpa with a 2.8. I am 4 (27 years old, ftw) years out of undergrad with tons of valuable professional experiences and solid references, though I know I still need to get a good lsat score for a chance at a T1 or T2 university, and to get some scholarship money.

I am also in a very serious relationship and we are considering starting a family in the next few years. Should I wait for the next cycle or just apply now? Your input is greatly appreciated

Hey all,

Not sure which section this belongs in - but just wanted to get your thoughts on the following matter:

I know for American schools - students receive better admission entrance scholarships when they have a stronger LSAT mark (ex. 164 vs. 172). However, I was wondering if inputting the study effort + time needed to go from 164 vs. 172 - if it is worth it? I am a Canadian student and planning on to BE studying at Canadian law school. Anybody know if Canadian laws schools offer large entrance admission scholarships for those students with better LSAT marks?

The only reason why I am asking is that studying for the LSAT (the correct way, the correct process that 7sage recommends + more) - takes a long time to perfect. And as you get older means more responsibility and more time you have to put to other things. I made a pros and cons list below, but just wanted to get everyone's thoughts on the matter.

Currently this what is on my plate: my Masters Program, 15+ hour work weeks & studying for the LSAT + being married LOL.

Pros:

Cons:

Thanks for the advice in advance.